Edward Sheppard wants to save Greenwich Township from faulty dikes

GREENWICH — Shep is a Vietnam veteran, monitors seven bald eagle nests and knows Greenwich Township like the back of his weathered hands.

As Edward Sheppard drives around in his pickup truck, adorned with Marine bumper stickers, he refers to himself as a watchdog, quixotically keeping an eye on Greenwich. He remembers a time when the township wasn’t in constant danger of washing away.

Greenwich is regularly flooded by salt water from the bay because of faulty dikes, which have historically protected the town from the Cohansey River. Now, the river that helped establish Greenwich as an early New Jersey port is looking to claim the township.

The historic township of Greenwich, established in 1748, was one of the first

The Dikes of Greenwich are in need of repair as they allow the roads to flood and salt water into the fields and the foundations of some homes when the tides are high on new and full moons and when storms occur. Ed Sheppard of Greenwich explains the residents try to keep up with putting sand bags along roadways. (Staff Photo by Cathy Cramer/The News of Cumberland County)

ports in New Jersey. It hosted the first court and jail house in the county and, in 1774, was inspired by Boston to have its own Tea Party.

Abraham Sheppard, one of the members of the Greenwich Tea Party, is an ancestor of Shep. His name can be seen on the monument dedicated to the tea burning on Ye Greate Street.

Shep’s family came to America from England and Ireland in 1680. Since then, members of his family have stayed in the area, first settling in Fairton and then moving to Greenwich. One relative was a colonel in the Revolutionary War and both of his great-grandfathers fought in the Civil War.

Shep is now the oldest Sheppard in Greenwich. He, along with his two brothers, still live in the town they grew up in.

“I’ve been here damn near 67 years, right on the same road,” Shep said as he sits on his screened in porch, protecting him from Greenwich’s many flies, and takes a drag off his hand-rolled Bugler cigarette.

He started smoking in Vietnam just to try it out. Smoking, however, was the only thing from Vietnam he really regrets.

“I lost a lot of friends and went through a lot of hell and my life has been hell ever since but I wouldn’t change it for anything,” Shep said.

He makes his living on the bay crabbing. He started crabbing with his father and has been doing it ever since. He enjoys being his own boss.

“I can’t work for nobody else,” Shep said. “I’m too damn independent and don’t get along with people.”

He used to be able to catch bass, bluegill, catfish, white perch and silver roach. But now, with the salt water intrusion, the fish are not as plentiful.

He remembers when there used to be four stores in Greenwich. Now the post office isn’t even opened for more than a few hours a day. Farms that used to make money growing asparagus are now inundated with salt water. Even the wells and irrigation ponds are in danger of salt water encroachment.

“Now, farming is about done in Greenwich,” he said.

The wealthiest resident in the township was William Shillingsburg. Now, the old Shillingsburg house is vacant and decrepit on Delaware Avenue.

“We’re the poorest township and the highest tax in Cumberland County,” Shep said.

Delaware Avenue itself is home to some of the worst flooding. Since the Pine Mount Dike breached, every high tide and spring moon floods the residents’ property completely. And, as of yet, nothing has been done to stop the flooding.

“Nobody should have to live that way,” Shep said.

For more than a decade the dike issue has had Greenwich on its knees. High tides, storms and full moons mean damaged property and inconvenience for its 804 residents.

Despite promises from elected officials, nothing has yet been done to stop the flooding. Shep has lost faith in both his township, county and state politicians and, being a part of the dike committee, hopes to make a difference before it is too late.

“I’m tired of people looking at you and smile and tell you, ‘Yeah we’re going to get the job done.’ And never hear nothing out of them,” Shep said. “They’re not as good as their word. They ain’t worth the money they’re paid.”

Though Greenwich is a small township, Shep postulates that the government is paid to help the people and, here in Greenwich, people’s property and livelihood are in danger.

“It depends on how important you are I guess,” he said. “They can keep replenishing the beach at Atlantic City and all those places for the tourists but they can’t maintain one or two little dikes along here? There’s something wrong with that.”

He has grown impatient with the township governing body and plans on working with the dike committee, which is made up of concerned residents looking for a solution to the flooding, to help find some answers to Greenwich’s woes. He has a voice and damn well are people going to hear it.

“This dike issue I’m not going to give up on,” Shep said. “It’s either going to get fixed or I’m going to die trying.”

And as the town battles nature and bureaucracy, they wait for help from anybody.